If you notice a lot of your Facebook friends are Debbie Downers you might want to give them the boot for the sake of your own mental health: new research published this week presents additional evidence that emotional states are contagious on social media, even in the absence of direct interpersonal interaction, confirming earlier studies of "emotional contagion."

Most very small businesses (VSBs) are using social media, but they don't usually have a strategy or even clearly defined goals, according to a new survey from Endurance, which provides Web site hosting services and polled its subscribers on their social media use.

Facebook co-founder Sean Parker -- you know, Justin Timberlake's character -- is preparing to launch a new social network for politics called Brigade, which will incorporate Causes, a popular Facebook app, as well as Votizen, a political advocacy startup.

Social media is fast becoming the preferred channel for customer service among consumers, but companies are failing to meet their expectations of ready availability and swift responses, according to a new study from Amdocs.

The Internet continues to grow at a rapid clip, but there's still a long way to go in terms of extending access, especially in poor and developing countries, according to the first Global Internet Report from the Internet Society, a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C. and Geneva, Switzerland.

Despite the rise of casual gaming among "normal" people, I think it's safe to say the stereotypical view of gamers is still generally unflattering, possibly involving stained t-shirts and two-liter bottles of Mountain Dew. However a recent survey of 1,000 U.S. adults conducted by LifeCourse Associates (founded by Neil Howe, who coined the term "millennial") shows that gamers are actually more social than non-gamers -- not to mention better educated and more affluent.

Do you ever worry that there aren't enough social networks in the world? Sure, we all do. But lay your fears to rest, because there are at least three new social networks targeting kids, expectant mothers, and authors.

Lawyers can monitor the social media activity of prospective and impaneled jurors, according to a recent opinion from the American Bar Association, which addressed the issue after mounting questions about the relationship between new media technology and the legal system.

Reports of online bullying have soared over the last year, according to a new report from McAfee, titled "2014 Teens and the Screen study: Exploring Online Privacy, Social Networking, and Cyberbullying," which states that 87% of teens and preteens polled in this year's survey said they have witnessed cyberbullying, up from 27% last year.

If you live in New York City pay attention, because this concerns you -- or more specifically, the amount of time you spend in the bathroom after ordering in.